Squarespace Cost: What You'll Actually Pay (Full Breakdown)

Squarespace pricing ranges from $16 to $99 per month when billed annually, or $25 to $139 if you pay month-to-month. But the sticker price is just the start-transaction fees, add-ons, and domain renewals can push your actual costs higher depending on what you're building.

I've broken down exactly what each plan costs, what you get (and don't get), and which plan makes sense for different use cases. No fluff, just the numbers you need to make a decision.

Squarespace Pricing Plans at a Glance

Squarespace now offers four website plans: Basic, Core, Plus, and Advanced. These replaced the old Personal, Business, and Commerce plans in early markets, and are rolling out globally.

PlanMonthly (billed annually)Monthly (billed monthly)Transaction Fee
Basic$16/month$25/month2% on store sales, 7% on digital products
Core$23/month$33/month0% on store sales, 5% on digital products
Plus$39/month$56/month0% on store sales, 1% on digital products
Advanced$99/month$139/month0% on all sales

Annual billing saves you 28-36% compared to monthly-so if you're committed, go annual. All annual plans also include a free custom domain for the first year.

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What Each Squarespace Plan Actually Includes

Basic Plan ($16/month annually)

The Basic plan works for portfolios, simple blogs, and informational sites where you're not selling much (or anything). You get:

What's missing: No custom CSS or JavaScript injection, no premium integrations (Zapier, Mailchimp, OpenTable), no pop-ups or announcement bars, and video hosting is capped at 30 minutes. You also can't inject tracking pixels for Facebook, TikTok, or Google Tag Manager, which means limited marketing analytics.

This plan is fine if you're a photographer showing off work or a freelancer with a simple one-pager. But the moment you want any customization or serious selling, you'll hit the walls fast.

Who should choose Basic: Hobbyists, bloggers creating content-focused sites, portfolio sites for creatives, or anyone testing the waters with minimal sales (under $350/month in physical products).

Core Plan ($23/month annually)

Core is Squarespace's recommended plan, and honestly, it's the sweet spot for most small businesses. For just $7 more per month than Basic, you get:

The jump from Basic to Core is where the real value is. If you're running an actual business-not just a hobby site-start here. The ability to inject custom code opens up significantly more marketing and customization options.

Break-even analysis: If you sell physical products, Core pays for itself when you're doing roughly $350/month in sales. Below that, the 2% Basic transaction fee costs less than the $7 monthly upgrade.

Who should choose Core: Small businesses, freelancers with regular client work, service-based businesses, consultants, or light ecommerce stores doing under $2,000/month in revenue.

Plus Plan ($39/month annually)

Plus is built for ecommerce stores that are generating consistent revenue. On top of everything in Core:

The math: If you're doing over $2,000/month in physical product sales, the lower processing rates on Plus start to offset the higher plan cost. For digital products, the break-even is around $1,920/month in digital sales compared to Core.

Below these thresholds, stick with Core. Above them, Plus becomes more cost-effective.

Who should choose Plus: Active online stores, ecommerce startups generating steady revenue, businesses selling digital products or memberships, stores needing customer account functionality.

Advanced Plan ($99/month annually)

Advanced is for serious ecommerce operations. You get everything plus:

This plan makes sense if you're doing significant volume and need the abandoned cart feature (which can recover 5-15% of lost sales) or subscription billing. The 0% digital product fee means this plan pays for itself at around $6,000/month in digital sales compared to Plus.

For most small businesses, it's overkill. But if you're scaling, have complex shipping needs, or rely heavily on subscriptions, Advanced is worth the investment.

Who should choose Advanced: High-volume online stores, subscription-based businesses, operations requiring API integrations, stores with complex shipping logistics.

Understanding Squarespace Transaction Fees

Transaction fees are one of the most confusing parts of Squarespace pricing. Here's the breakdown:

Physical Products and Services

These include tangible goods you ship, services you provide, and downloadable products:

Digital Products (Courses, Memberships, Video Content)

Digital content and memberships have different fee structures:

These fees are in addition to standard payment processing fees from Stripe or PayPal. So on the Basic plan, you'd pay 7% to Squarespace plus 2.9% + $0.30 to your payment processor on digital sales.

Hidden Costs and Add-Ons

The plan price isn't your total Squarespace cost. Here's what else might add to your bill:

Domain Name Costs

Annual plans include a free domain for the first year. After that, you'll pay renewal fees:

Pro tip: You can use a domain you already own from another registrar-you don't have to buy through Squarespace. Registrars like Namecheap or Cloudflare often charge $10-15/year for .com domains, saving you $5-10 annually.

However, Squarespace domains include free WHOIS privacy protection, SSL certificates, and email forwarding (up to 100 addresses), which some budget registrars charge extra for.

Google Workspace Email

You get a free year of Google Workspace email on Core and above plans. After that first year:

If you have a team of 5, that's $30-90/month in email costs alone. This adds up quickly for growing businesses.

Email Marketing with Email Campaigns

Squarespace's built-in email marketing tool is a separate subscription:

All plans include unlimited contacts, email automation, and template designs that match your website. But advanced features like A/B testing and complex automation workflows are limited compared to dedicated platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit.

Credit Card Processing Fees

These aren't Squarespace fees-they're payment processor fees (usually Stripe or PayPal). Expect:

These rates apply when using Squarespace Payments (powered by Stripe). If you use PayPal or Square, their fee structures may vary. Stripe's rates are generally more straightforward, while PayPal can have additional service fees depending on transaction types.

Extensions and Third-Party Integrations

Many Squarespace extensions are free, but some premium integrations can add costs:

Budget-conscious businesses should start with only essential integrations and add more as revenue grows.

Professional Design and Development

While Squarespace is designed for DIY users, many businesses hire professionals for custom work:

The Squarespace Marketplace connects you with vetted experts, but keep in mind they charge a client introduction fee of 5% on projects, which may be factored into quotes.

Squarespace vs Competitors: Price Comparison

Squarespace isn't the cheapest website builder, but it's competitively priced for what you get. Here's how it stacks up:

Squarespace vs Wix

Squarespace vs Shopify

Squarespace vs WordPress.com

Squarespace vs Weebly

For a deeper comparison, check out our Squarespace vs Wix and Squarespace vs WordPress guides.

Which Squarespace Plan Should You Choose?

Here's my decision framework based on your business type and needs:

For Bloggers and Content Creators

Choose Basic ($16/month) if you're publishing content without selling anything. You get unlimited bandwidth, all templates, and basic SEO tools.

Upgrade to Core ($23/month) if you want to monetize through memberships, courses, or need advanced analytics to track reader behavior.

For Portfolio Sites and Freelancers

Choose Basic ($16/month) if you just need to showcase your work. Photographers, designers, and artists can display unlimited images with the 30-minute video limit.

Upgrade to Core ($23/month) if you're booking clients, need inquiry forms with premium integrations, or want to embed booking calendars.

For Service-Based Businesses

Choose Core ($23/month) as your starting point. You'll need the integrations, custom code for tracking pixels, and likely want to collect payments for consultations or services without transaction fees.

Consider Acuity Scheduling ($14-45/month add-on) if appointment booking is central to your business model.

For Ecommerce Stores

Start with Core ($23/month) if you're just launching and doing under $2,000/month in sales. The 0% transaction fee on physical products makes this the baseline for serious sellers.

Upgrade to Plus ($39/month) once you're consistently doing $2,000+/month. The lower processing fees and customer account features justify the cost.

Move to Advanced ($99/month) when you hit $10,000+/month or need subscription billing, abandoned cart recovery, and API access.

For Digital Product Creators

Choose Core ($23/month) only if you're doing very occasional digital sales (under $200/month).

Upgrade to Plus ($39/month) once digital sales hit $2,000/month. The 4% fee reduction (from 5% to 1%) saves you $80/month at this level.

Move to Advanced ($99/month) when selling $6,000+/month in digital products. The 0% fee saves you $60/month compared to Plus, partially offsetting the plan upgrade cost.

How to Calculate Your True Monthly Cost

Here's a realistic budget calculator for different scenarios:

Minimal Setup (Blog/Portfolio)

Small Business with Email

Growing Ecommerce Store

High-Volume Store with Team

These realistic totals are significantly higher than the advertised plan prices, so budget accordingly.

How to Save Money on Squarespace

A few ways to reduce your Squarespace costs:

1. Pay Annually

Annual billing saves 28-36% compared to monthly. That's $108-$480/year in savings depending on your plan. If you're committed for at least a year, this is a no-brainer.

2. Use Coupon Codes

Squarespace frequently offers 10-20% off the first payment. Common offers include:

Check our Squarespace coupon page for current codes.

3. Maximize the Free Trial

Build your entire site during the 14-day free trial before paying anything. You can design, add content, configure everything-just can't publish until you select a plan.

4. Start with Lower Plans

Don't overbuy features you won't use immediately. Start with Basic or Core and upgrade when your revenue justifies it. Squarespace makes upgrading easy and prorates charges.

5. Use a Third-Party Domain Registrar

After your first free year, transfer your domain to Namecheap or Cloudflare to save $5-10/year on renewals. You'll manage DNS settings separately, but the savings compound over time.

6. Evaluate Email Alternatives

For basic email marketing needs, platforms like Mailchimp offer free plans for up to 500 subscribers. ConvertKit has a free tier for up to 300 subscribers. Compare features before committing to Squarespace Email Campaigns.

7. Skip Unnecessary Integrations

Many premium integrations can wait until you're generating revenue. Start lean, then add tools as your business grows and can afford them.

8. DIY Initial Design

Squarespace templates are professionally designed and highly customizable without code. Invest time learning the platform before hiring a designer. You can always bring in a pro later for refinements.

Squarespace Pricing for Special Use Cases

Membership Sites and Online Communities

If you're building a membership site or community with exclusive content:

Member sites also have separate transaction fee structures for legacy plan users, but new customers on Basic/Core/Plus/Advanced follow the digital products fee schedule.

Restaurant and Food Service Businesses

Restaurants using Squarespace for online ordering:

Photographers and Creative Professionals

Visual portfolio sites with client booking:

Course Creators and Educators

Selling online courses and educational content:

Alternatively, consider dedicated course platforms like Teachable or Thinkific if courses are your primary business model.

Understanding Legacy Plans vs New Plans

Squarespace has transitioned from Personal/Business/Commerce naming to Basic/Core/Plus/Advanced. If you signed up before this change:

Legacy Plans Still Available

Current legacy customers can keep their existing plans until they switch. Legacy plans include:

Once you switch to a new plan structure, you cannot switch back to legacy plans.

Key Differences

The new plan structure generally offers better value:

Most legacy customers should evaluate switching to save money or access better features, but run the numbers based on your specific usage.

When Squarespace Might NOT Be Worth the Cost

Squarespace is excellent for many use cases, but here's when it might not make financial sense:

Very High-Volume Ecommerce

Once you're doing $50,000+/month in sales, Shopify or WooCommerce offer:

Complex Custom Functionality

If you need extensive custom features, WordPress with custom development offers more flexibility. Squarespace's closed ecosystem limits what's possible even with code injection.

Extremely Tight Budgets

If $16/month is a stretch, consider:

Developer-Heavy Projects

Developers who want full control over backend, databases, and hosting infrastructure should look at headless CMS options or fully custom solutions.

Frequently Asked Questions About Squarespace Cost

Can I change my plan anytime?

Yes. You can upgrade or downgrade at any time. Upgrades take effect immediately with prorated charges. Downgrades take effect at the end of your current billing cycle, and you receive account credit for unused time.

What happens if I cancel?

You can cancel within 14 days of your initial purchase for a full refund on annual plans (monthly plans aren't refundable). After that, no refunds are issued, but your site remains active until the end of the paid period.

Your domain remains active if you paid for it separately. After cancellation, you can maintain domain ownership by keeping domain billing active, even without an active website plan.

Do prices increase at renewal?

Generally, plan prices remain stable at renewal. However, Squarespace has historically changed pricing structures during major updates. Promotional discounts (like 20% off first payment) don't apply to renewals.

Can I get a refund if I'm not satisfied?

Yes, but only within 14 days of purchase. This applies to annual plans. Monthly subscriptions aren't eligible for refunds. Domain purchases are refundable within 5 days of registration.

Are there any setup fees?

No. Squarespace doesn't charge setup fees, activation fees, or hidden charges. What you see in pricing is what you pay, plus any add-ons you select.

How much does it cost to maintain a Squarespace site?

Bare minimum: $16/month (Basic plan) + ~$20/year domain renewal after year one. Realistic small business cost: $40-90/month including plan, domain, email, and basic marketing tools.

Is Squarespace cheaper than hiring a web developer?

For simple sites, yes. Custom development starts at $3,000-10,000. With Squarespace, you pay $200-600/year for hosting, and potentially $500-2,500 if you hire a designer for template customization. Over 3-5 years, Squarespace is typically cheaper for small businesses.

Do I own my website content on Squarespace?

Yes, you own all your content, images, and data. However, Squarespace owns the platform and any custom domains registered through them (though you're the registrant). You can export content and move to another platform, though the process isn't always seamless.

Real Cost Examples: 3 Business Scenarios

Scenario 1: Freelance Consultant Launch

Business: Marketing consultant starting a personal brand site

Year 1 costs:

Year 2 costs:

Scenario 2: Small Ecommerce Boutique

Business: Handmade jewelry store, $5,000/month revenue

Year 1 costs:

Year 2+ costs:

Scenario 3: Online Course Creator

Business: Selling digital courses, $8,000/month revenue

Optimal setup:

At $8,000/month revenue, this represents 1.76% of revenue-a reasonable cost for a complete platform.

The Bottom Line on Squarespace Cost

For most small businesses and creators, Squarespace will cost you $23-$39/month (billed annually) when you include the essentials. That gets you a professional website with solid ecommerce capabilities, no hosting headaches, and templates that actually look good.

When you factor in domain renewals, email hosting, and marketing tools, realistic all-in costs run $40-150/month depending on your business complexity and team size. This is significantly more than the advertised plan prices, so budget accordingly.

Is it the cheapest option? No. Platforms like Wix or Weebly can be cheaper. Self-hosted WordPress can cost less if you're technical. But the time you save not wrestling with plugins, security updates, and hosting configuration is worth the premium for most people.

Squarespace hits a sweet spot: professional results without developer costs, manageable monthly expenses, and the flexibility to scale as your business grows. For solopreneurs, small businesses, and creatives who value design and ease-of-use, it's worth the investment.

My recommendation: Start with Core ($23/month) if you're serious about business. It's the minimum for professional features. Upgrade to Plus when revenue justifies it. Only move to Advanced if you're doing serious volume or need specific features like subscriptions or API access.

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Additional Resources

If you're still comparing options, check out these related guides:

For businesses needing more advanced tools to grow, explore our recommended solutions: